Monday, January 09, 2006

Ay! Showbizzz!: I Hate You/ I Like You

I am not ashamed to say that I hate Pinoy Big Brother, and no-one would make me like it.

My director/ Dad and I went northward to Caloocan City to interview the city mayor. Once we got into the North City Hall, the production team saw a handful of people gathered at the quadrangle, and I heard a familiar yet irritating music coming from a marching band.

It was the theme song of Pinoy Big Brother.

My readers in the US are familiar how fugly the show is, and boy, it's worse here. It's an aspiring celebrity search. All the housemates became instant TV stars of the network where it was broadcast. And although PBB did not have an impressive ratings trend, ABS-CBN pretended that it was an instant hit by overly promoting the show with spin-off game shows and updates from morning until evening, not sparing the primetime news.

(By the way, it was rumored that the theme song was plagiarized from a 1980's UK Rock Band The Care's "The Chandelier". I have heard the two song simultaneously being played and have concluded that it is a rip-off.)

I could go on and on of my hatred for PBB, but karma got into me just this morning.

As the team got off the van and went into the City Hall, I realized the reason why the marching band was playing the plagiarized song.

Some of the PBB Housemates were there. They had just finished dancing to the tune of the theme song (as they always do in EVERY appearance) and were signing autographs to the government employees.

A lone PBB hater in a sea of PBB fanatics. God has a sense of humor.

I am also not ashamed to say that I like StarStruck Season 3, and nothing and no-one would make me hate it.

StarStruck is like our version of American Idol, but the difference is that instead of singers, the program is a search for potential teen stars who could sing, dance, and act (common requirements in become a Philippine celebrity). Every week, one candidate is eliminated according to the judges' scores and the audience votes until one male and one female remain as the Ultimate StarStruck Survivor.

This is the reason why I often go home earlier than usual. Since its first season, StarStruck has been my TV addiction. And as an entertainment editor once said, it changed the landscape of Philippine Showbiz, where the audience have the power to choose who deserves to become a bigger celebrity.Among the successful products of StarStruck are Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado, the first season winners. They appear in numerous blockbuster movies and were paired as a lead couple in "Say That You Love Me". Mark has a dance compilation album, while Jennylyn's debut album was a success. Until now, the two are the standard of teen star superstardom.

But their reign is being challenged by the candidates of the third batch, which in my opinion is the best roster of aspiring teen stars to date. They were chosen from all over the country and each region was fairly represented.

So far, four candidates were eliminated, including my female fave Rea. And the competition is getting more intensified because the candidates will undergo a series of singing exercises.

My fearful forecast as to who will compete in the Final 4 are as follows:

IWA MOTO is half-Filipina, half-Japanese. Her "middle-class" personality is appealing to the broader masses. And Filipino fans have a liking for novelty.

ARCI MUNOZ is classified in the show as a talented underdog. I'm glad that she doesn't brag too much that she studies at the University of the Philippines (which might make the audience turn off).

MARKY CIELO is a proud member of the Igorot Tribe. Some viewers say his indigenous facial features are not of celebrity value, but his appeal is slowly growing. A talented actor and dancer, Marky might be given a dance-off with Mark Herras.

VIVO OUANO is my favorite among the guys. He is the complete opposite of Marky. This tall 15-year-old has the looks of a heartthrob. The problem though is that he struggles in his acting and dances with two left feet. However, his fanbase is strong and will continue to vote for him until he reaches the Final 4.

I am 25 years old and still going gaga over a bunch of teens. God indeed has a sense of humor.